COJO Wraps Up Successful Summer 2023 Pantry Program

COJO Wraps Up Successful Summer 2023 Pantry Program

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) proudly announces the successful conclusion of its Summer 2023 pantry program. This initiative, operating at the Aur Torah Sephardic Minyan, has showcased the unwavering commitment of COJO and its volunteers to combating hunger, poverty, and hopelessness within the borough. Centrally located in Mid Island the COJO pantry was able to properly service the pantry’s constituency residing across Staten Island.

Rabbi Aharon Zeev, Rabbi of Aur Torah, commended Aur Torah’s venerable President Oshri Reuven for partnering with COJO in providing vital support to the borough. He expressed immense pride in the Aur Torah community’s involvement, underscoring the deep integration of the COJO pantry into the fabric of the synagogue.

Rabbi Zeev emphasized that he is, “particularly proud of our very own Iva Reuven who serves as the COJO Food Pantry and Services Director and her hardworking team. These dedicated individuals no matter how hot or rainy the summer was were committed to helping the community and were always there to get the job done. This COJO pantry project is a model of love, unity and care for our fellow community members. May the A-Mighty bless Iva Reuven and her team for being committed to helping others. I must also thank my dear friend  Mendy Mirocznik, president of COJO for his leadership and support of the pantry project. It is this friendship and mutual love and concern that helps make it happen.”

Iva Reuven, lauded the dedication and devotion of her team, who worked tirelessly through the summer months to address the unrelenting demands of poverty and hunger. Iva Reuven explained, “sadly there is no vacation to hunger, poverty and hopelessness. It would be nice on a sunny summer day for misery, gloom and anxiety to disappear and to take a vacation and give those in need a much-needed reprieve and time off. Sadly, we at the pantry are inundated with calls for help around the clock. I have to compliment my team and Mendy Mirocznik for their commitment of support and help.” She emphasized the enduring commitment to providing aid is the true reason of the pantry’s success and noted, that we at the COJO pantry are now in the process of formalizing plans for Rosh Hashanah and the coming fall season.”

Mendy Mirocznik, COJO president, spoke about the year-round nature of poverty and hunger and the indispensable role the pantry plays in addressing these challenges with sensitivity, care and compassion. Mirocznik praised Iva Reuven and her great team for their exemplary commitment and customization of services to cater to the community’s needs. Mirocznik highlighted the dedication to community in particular during the summer vacation season. Mirocznik pointed out  “[t]hat running a pantry and social services operation is not an easy task. As Iva correctly points out poverty and hunger are not a seasonable issue that goes on vacation and disappears in the summer time. They are serious and real conditions that must be dealt with throughout the entire year. What amazes me the most is Iva Reuven and her team’s commitment to the community. They tailored the pantry to the needs of the community. They worked their schedules to make certain that the pantry operated full steam during the sweltering summer months.

To that commitment I say thank you for inspiring me and demonstrating to me what commitment to community service and helping people is all about. Clearly, you send the message that you are dedicated to getting the job done all the time. It means volunteering and tailoring the needs of the community and balancing it with the summer vacation season. To me this is an example of COJO’s finest and I am humbled and honored to be President of COJO that has in its ranks these fine dedicated people who truly care and are committed to helping others no matter what season of the year we are in.”

Mirocznik, also thanked Carina Vizhnay, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Community Representative and Jenny Palaguachi a Healthcare Advocate at the Healthcare Education Project for teaming up and on their informative presentation on healthy eating. “It is not enough to provide food at the pantry,” stated Mirocznik, “we are additionally obligated to bring the best to our constituents and to that end I thank Carina Vizhnay and Jenny Palaguachi for taking the extra step in their informative and educational demonstration which I am certain will have a positive impact on our pantry constituency.”

Mirocznik, concluded by thanking the NYPD for their partnership and in particular Chief Joseph Gulotta, Staten Island borough commander, Captain Eric Waldhelm, commanding officer, Pct. 121, Chaplain Tahir Kukai, and Community Affairs Officer Sean Mondello, Pct. 121 for being there all the time with the COJO Summer Food Pantry distributions. Captain Waldhelm praised the positive interactions between the NYPD and COJO, recognizing the collaborative efforts as pivotal in building community relationships. The NYPD eagerly anticipates further collaboration with COJO to continue enriching the lives of Staten Island residents.